


mr. misunderstood

by parkrstark



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Arguing, Bullying, Eventual best buds, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Insecure Peter Parker, Jealous Harley Keener, Jealous Peter Parker, Kidnapping, Sibling Rivalry, he's trying his best, tony stark is a dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24023707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parkrstark/pseuds/parkrstark
Summary: When Peter walks into the lab and sees Harley working in his spot, it isn't immediate friendship like Tony had hoped. It's misunderstandings and arguing and jealously until they're both kidnapped as ransom for Tony Stark. It's in that small room where they have to learn to get along if they want to get out of there alive.
Relationships: Happy Hogan & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 229
Kudos: 848





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for a friend that wanted some Harley and Peter fluff...but I'm not good with giving fluff without the hurt. So! Buckle up, kiddos, for some angst before we get our boys being brothers.  
> Please keep the warnings in mind when reading. More will be added along the way as it gets more specific, but I just wanted to warn you of the general warnings before you started reading!

“Yo, Penis!” Peter hears Flash’s shout down the hallway, but he ignores him. He's not letting Flash ruin his good day. 

In their shared Chemistry class last period, they were given information about the upcoming Science Fair. Peter can't wait to get started on his project. He's hoping Tony will help when he shows him the flyer. They work on his suit sometimes, so working on this shouldn't be any different. 

Ned flanks his side as they stop by their lockers. “Hey, you wanna come to my place after school? Mom’s making Chicken Afritada.” 

Peter’s mouth waters at the thought of a delicious home cooked meal from the Leeds home. Ned’s mother is a great cook and she makes a traditional Filipino meal at least once a month. Peter is always invited to the family dinner. 

“I'd love to, Ned, but I was going to stop by Mr. Stark’s and talk to him about something,” Peter says as he opens his locker. 

Ned looks over at him with an excited smile. “Are you gonna ask him about the science fair? Because that would be so freaking cool to have  _ Tony Stark  _ help you with your project! Hey, do you think Bruce Banner could help me with mine? That would be even cooler because then we both have an Avenger buddy. And when one of us wins, Flash will be  _ so _ pissed off.” 

Peter loves his best friend, but sometimes he just doesn't know when to  _ shush.  _ “Quiet, Ned. And no, Mr. Stark hasn't heard from Dr. Banner since Sokovia.” 

“Oh,” Ned only deflates for a second before getting excited again. “That's okay. I'm not really all that good with science anyway; that's your thing. But when the technology fair comes around, I'm gonna wipe the floor with everyone.”

Peter laughs. He wishes he could have self confidence like Ned does. “I believe you, buddy.” 

“I better get an invite to your science fair because I want to be there to see the look on Flash’s face when you beat him.  _ Again.”  _

Before Peter can respond, someone is slamming his locker shut and if he didn't have his spidey reflexes, one of his fingers would have gotten caught. He turns to glare at Flash. The boy is snarling down at him like Peter is his actual prey. “Don't get so excited, boys. You won last year because of a technicality. Don't expect it to happen again.” 

“I beat you fair and square last year, Flash. You were just a sore loser about it,” Peter argues. 

“Just don't expect it to happen again, Penis,” Flash scowls before storming away. 

Ned shouts at his retreating back, “His name is Peter!” 

Peter places a hand on his shoulder. “It's okay, Ned.” 

“It's  _ not _ okay, Peter. You shouldn't let him talk to you like that.” Ned shakes his head with a frown. He’s always on Peter’s back to stand up for himself and tell Flash off. 

“Just one more year of him. It'll be fine.” Peter thinks about that every time Flash starts giving him trouble. Peter is only a junior, but Flash is a senior. Flash knows this too and likes to kick his bullying up a notch... or 10.

Ned sighs and drops the conversation that has been going on since middle school. “Well, if you can tonight, dinner is served at 7:30. Call me if you're coming.” 

Peter smiles. He knows May will be at work all night, like she is every weeknight and even some weekends. She works hard so she can keep a roof over their head and food on the table and even a little extra so she can spend some money on Peter, but sometimes he wishes she wasn't always working. 

“If I can get to Mr. Stark’s tower now I should be able to make it to your place for dinner.” Peter shuts his locker and gets ready to leave this place already.

“Awesome!” Ned smiles widely back at him. “I'll tell my mom to set an extra plate.” 

“Can't wait. See you tonight,” Peter says as he lifts his hand to start their handshake. 

“See you tonight,” Ned confirms as they finish the handshake. 

They don't get the weird looks in the hallway anymore. If you are a student at Midtown Science and Technology, then you know Ned and Peter are best friends and the handshake is a common occurrence. 

After saying goodbye to Ned, Peter books it down the hallway. There's no car waiting for him today since it's an unscheduled visit, but he's got enough change from lunch to get him a subway ticket halfway to the tower and then he could walk the rest. Hopefully, Happy won't mind giving him a ride home. 

He’s sure nothing can ruin his mood. Not Flash, not the crowded subway car, not the 30 minute walk, not the taxi that almost runs him over. It's going to be a great night. He has Tony to see and then he's going to Ned’s house for dinner. 

Nothing can take this smile off of his face. 

“Good afternoon, FRIDAY,” Peter calls up to the ceiling when he walks in. 

_ “Good afternoon, Peter. How are you?” _ Her voice comes back and her gentle tone brings a smile to his face. 

“I'm great. Is Mr. Stark in his lab? I have a quick question for him.” Peter is already heading towards the elevator. 

_ “Yes, he is. Would you like me to get him?”  _

“Nah, I'll go up there myself. Thanks though.” He enters the elevator and FRIDAY activates the floor number of Tony’s lab. It's one of the floors that only Tony has access to and Peter always gets excited when he remembers that Tony opened the access for him too. 

The elevator is fast, so fast that he barely gets to hear the ACDC song playing over the speakers softly. He had never given their music a chance until he started working side by side with Tony in his lab. Now he owns albums by ACDC, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin on his phone. They clash with all of his Broadway albums, but Peter doesn’t mind. 

The doors open and Peter takes a step inside the workshop. His smile disappears when he sees someone sitting at his spot. Peter goes still.  _ Why is someone sitting in his spot?  _

Tony is over the guy's shoulder, helping him wire something. He looks up and glances over his shoulder when he notices Peter is standing there. “Hey, Pete.” 

Peter doesn't say hi back; he continues to stare at the kid sitting  _ in his spot.  _

His silence doesn't deter Tony; he pats the boy on the shoulder and he looks up finally. His green eyes meet Peter’s and he frowns. Tony pulls him up anyway. “Come here, Peter. I want you to meet Harley.” 

Harley crosses his arms over his chest and doesn't say a word either. 

Tony falters, looking between the two. “Uh…”

“How do you know Tony?” Peter asks. Saying his first name feels weird on his tongue. 

_ “Tony?”  _ Tony repeats incredulously as he stares at Peter. 

“I helped him a few years ago.” Harley raises an eyebrow. “How do  _ you  _ know him?”

“I'm his intern.” 

Harley laughs. “That's funny.  _ I'm _ his intern.” 

Peter blinks. This must be a joke. He looks over at Tony, but Tony’s smile is gone. He looks surprised. “Uh, Harley is interning for me for a few weeks. He needs it for college.” 

“He's in my spot,” Peter says and he feels childish when he does. 

“I'm sorry. I didn't see a name on the table or chair.” Harley shrugs his shoulders. 

Peter doesn't know if he's more mad at Tony for giving his seat away or more mad at Harley for being such a dick about it. 

“I didn't know you were coming,” Peter says when he faces Harley again. 

“I didn't know you existed.” 

“Hey, come on, guys. Let's play nice.” Tony smiles weakly. Peter and Harley glare at each other and do nothing else. Tony mutters under his breath. 

“Hey, kiddo, why don't you go get yourself another juice box while the grown-ups finish their work?” 

Peter loves when Tony calls him kiddo. But it makes Peter angry to hear it come from a kid, only a year or two older than him. “I have my own work to do.”

“That's cute. What are  _ you  _ working on? A self-changing diaper?” Harley grins. 

Tony laughs even though he tries to hold it back. 

“That's none of your business.” Peter refuses to look either of them in the eyes. “Can I sit at my work spot or is that not allowed?” 

Tony’s response is hesitant. “Harley’s got his stuff all over your table. Do you mind temporarily moving? I wasn't expecting you today or else I would have kept it clean.” 

There's no reason for him to be angry at Tony, but he's furious at him. He hates it. “Where should I sit then?” 

Tony glances around at the lab. He and Peter always have it in a mess, but to them it's perfect because they know where everything is. They've developed a rhythm in the workshop. He comes up to a small table in the corner. “Hey, DUM-E, clean that off for Peter.”

DUM-E obeys and starts to brush all papers and tools to the floor. Tony groans, but doesn't complain. Peter stalks over to the spot and throws his backpack to the ground. DUM-E beeps quietly and rubs his head against Peter’s arm. Peter comforts him back. 

He loves Tony’s bots. They try their best even when Tony punishes them, Peter can't help but make them feel better. They cling to Peter and when he walks into the workshop, they whir excitedly and roll over to him immediately. Even if they're in the middle of helping Tony with a project. 

“Hey, buddy,” Peter says softly. He strokes DUM-E’s head. He has always seen the bots as the closest things to siblings he’ll ever get. He always wanted a sibling or two. It got boring growing up without a playmate. Ned is a great friend, but at the end of the day they go back to their own families. Peter wanted someone to understand what he went through as a child. He wanted someone by his side when his parents died and he was dropped off with his aunt and uncle. 

But now as he watches Tony help Harley with his stupid project, he thinks he is better off without an older brother. 

Peter doesn't even have anything to work on. His current project in the lab is Spider-Man related, so Peter can't just whip out the suit in front of Harley. He has some homework, but the only thing he really needed in here was Tony. He wanted him to help with his project, but now he doesn't want to mention the idea in front of Harley. 

He pulls out his math textbook to get some homework done. Pre-calc comes easy to him, like most subjects, but he can't concentrate. He rewrites the same log 3 times and solves it 5 different ways. How is that even possible? 

Laughter keeps pulling his attention away from his paper. Tony is working close to Harley and is smiling at what he says. It's louder than necessary, but Peter knows it's because he wants Peter to know. 

Peter stays in that spot for who knows how long. He wishes he could leave because it's torture to sit here, but he can't let Harley win. 

He barely finishes his math homework. He knew this information earlier, but now it all escapes him. He writes down a combination of letters and numbers so it looks like he attempted something. His teacher will surely understand if he has an off day. 

English homework is next; he needs to read a chapter from  _ A Tale of Two Cities _ and analyze it. He pulls out his worn copy and opens to the page he dog-eared. He can't focus on the book at all. He usually has trouble with English just because it's not based on facts. He's good with facts and definite answers. His teacher tells him there's no wrong answer when it comes to analyzing a book. Peter disagrees. There  _ has  _ to be a wrong answer. 

But that makes him feel even worse because he doesn't even have a wrong answer to write down. 

He knows this shouldn't bother him. Tony is allowed to spend time with other people. Other very intelligent teenage boys. He can't dib the man. Tony probably doesn't even understand. He's Tony Stark; he can go find anyone to work side by side with. He doesn't need Peter. He's showing that right now with Harley. 

Peter is the one that needs him. He clings to Tony because he's the only constant male adult in his life. It's crazy and ridiculous for Peter to believe Tony can be that person for him. He has more important things to do. Like work with  _ real  _ interns. 

Harley is probably smarter than him. He's probably better. That's why Tony wants him to be his intern. 

Peter flips a page he didn't even read so roughly that it rips. He's glad it's only the school’s copy. If Michelle saw the condition it was in, she'd flip. 

He's so distracted by his thoughts and Harley and not focusing on schoolwork that he jumps when his phone starts to ring. His face burns red as he rushes to answer it. Ned’s embarrassing ringtone breaks the silence of the lab. 

“Hello?” Peter says, knowing Harley’s eyes are on him. 

_ “Pete, where are you?”  _ Ned’s voice comes back. 

“What?” Peter asks in confusion. 

_ “Dinner?”  _

Oh, shit. Dinner. Peter promised to meet Ned for dinner. He checks the time and sees it's already almost 7:40. “I can be there in like 20 minutes. If you can wait. But if it's gonna get cold, then just go ahead.” 

“ _ Mom just put the dinner in. It won't be finished until 8; you have some time.”  _

Peter is relieved. He would have hated to cancel on Ned. He never would have heard the end of it from Ned’s mom. 

“I'll be there soon,” Peter assures him before hanging up the phone. He rushes to shove all of the books back in his backpack. 

He turns to Harley and Tony as he pulls the backpack onto his back. “I have to go. Filipino Night.” 

Harley looks at him strangely, but Tony smiles at him. “Tell Ned I said hi.” 

Peter smiles for the first time since getting there. “I will, Mr. Stark.” His eyes flick to Harley before he turns back to Tony. “I'll be by tomorrow,” he says, more of a question than statement. 

“The door’s always open, Pete.” Before turning back to his work, he says, “Tell Happy to give you a ride.” 

“Thank you.” He pulls on his straps as he hesitates by the doorway. He wants to bring up the science fair, but not in front of Harley. Not after his horrible day. He'd wait until he was happy again and could get excited again. 

“Bye, Mr. Stark,” Peter says as he starts to walk out. Tony is too busy looking at whatever Harley is holding to answer him back. Peter’s smile disappears. 

_ “Goodbye, Peter,” _ FRIDAY answers instead. 

“Bye, FRIDAY,” Peter mumbles. Yup. Horrible day. 

* * *

”It's just weird,” Peter says as he hands a now clean dish to Ned. Ned starts to dry it off. 

“I can only imagine. Dad suddenly having a new kid can be very unsettling.” 

Peter glares over at Ned and restrains from whipping him with the wet dishcloth. “I'm being serious, Ned.”

“And so am I,” Ned insists. “You've got a serious case of Only Child Syndrome. And I can say that because a) I'm an only child too and b) I'm your best friend.” 

“Only Child Syndrome?” Peter echoes with a quirked eyebrow. 

“Yes. You're used to being the only one that gets the attention, but now you have to share it,” Ned explains. “You don't react to that well.”

“I'm not some Chemistry equation, Ned. I don't  _ react well _ because Harley is a dick.” 

“He's dealing with OCS too.” 

“I don't even know who he is! Mr. Stark has never mentioned him and he's never been caught by the paparazzi.” Peter finishes the last dish before shutting off the water. 

“Well, we can't all be TMZ eye candy, Mr. Intern.”

“That was  _ one  _ time. And they didn't really see my face,” Peter defends with flushed cheeks. 

Ned smirks, not taking this conversation seriously. “That's a plus. Don't really need Flash on your ass about having a sugar daddy or being the illegitimate son of a famous superhero billionaire.” 

“He's not my sugar daddy, Edward.” Peter adds on after a second of hesitation, “Or my father.”

Ned sputters out a laugh. “So who bought you that laptop? And the new  _ Stark _ phone?”

“I'm going to kill you,” Peter promises as he jumps on Ned’s back to try and drag him to the floor. He wraps his arms around his neck and his legs around his stomach. Ned is still laughing so hard he can't get a word out. “Take it back and maybe I'll spare your life,” he says with a smile on his own face. 

Before Ned can say anything, a new voice in the kitchen interrupts him. “Please, do your worst. Maybe I'll have less dirty clothes around my house.” Ned’s dad watches the two with a grin. 

Ned’s mom follows in behind. “Ah ah, there will be no killing in my kitchen. Especially not my baby.” She pinches Ned’s cheek and he can't swat her hand away because he's holding onto Peter. Peter chuckles, causing her to turn her attention to him and pinches his cheek. “I won't even tolerate it from my other baby.” 

It's Peter’s turn to blush. “Yes, mom,” he says in a sing-song voice. 

She runs her fingers through his hair and his smile softens. “Good boy.” 

Peter looks down at Ned from his spot on his back as he laughs some more at him. 

Maybe it wasn't so bad having a brother. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of child abuse and drug use in this chapter.

”So...Peter,” Harley says as they enter the lab. He watches Tony frown smally. 

“What about him?” He responds, moving to the spot they were working at yesterday. 

Harley shrugs his shoulders. “Just wondering. I mean, you've never said a word about him to me. Seems like he came out of nowhere.” 

Tony glances at him from the corner of his eyes. “I only met him last year. There's never really any reason to bring him up in conversation.” 

“And you never told him about me?” 

With a tilted head, Tony stares at him bemusedly. “You don't come up in conversation either.” He continues to stare even after Harley turns away. “Are you  _ jealous _ ?” 

“No,” Harley snaps quickly. Because he's not. Not a bit. “Jealous of that kid?” He scoffs. “As if.”

“Okay, Mr. Cool, whatever you say.” Tony rolls his eyes. He thankfully drops the conversation as he starts to move stuff on the table. “Just go easy on him, okay?” 

“I was just joking around with him,” Harley huffs.

“I know, but still. He didn't grow that same tough skin you did.” Tony holds his gaze. 

“I won't.” Harley refrains from rolling his eyes. Because, seriously? The kid isn’t a baby. He can handle himself. And if he can’t, then it’s about time he learned how. 

Tony eyes him for another moment before turning to the table. “I mean it,” he says, although, there isn’t much heat behind his words. “Anywho, let’s just get started on this. I want to get some stuff done before lunch.”

“I thought I was supposed to be interning, not playing around in your lab,” Harley says as he settles in the stool next to Tony. 

Tony waves around the messy lab with a screwdriver in his hand. “Same difference.”

Harley waits a minute before asking his next question because he  _ really  _ doesn’t want to ask it. “Is this what Peter does?”

“What’s with the interest in Peter?” Tony hands him part of the machine they’re currently working on. 

“There’s none,” Harley fibs because he definitely has  _ some _ interest. There’s something about this kid that doesn’t sit right with Harley. He’s like 12, super smart and best friends with Tony Stark. But yet, Tony never mentioned either one of them to each other. “Just, ya know, curious about your  _ actual _ intern. I thought it was against the law to hire kindergartners.”

“He’s 15, Harley.” Tony hands steps back so Harley can get close and start working. “Should I bring up the picture from 2013? You had the cutest little chubby cheeks.” He smirks widely at him. 

“That's different. I was helping you  _ save the world _ .” Harley crosses his arms over his chest. That wasn’t something any teenager could say. Sure, this Peter kid fetched Tony his coffee, but he would never know what it was like to  _ really  _ help Tony Stark. 

Tony gives him a small smirk and says, “Doesn’t change the fact that you were still, quite literally, a child.” 

“I still helped you save the world  _ from a terrorist.”  _ That is a very important detail. 

“And how do you know Peter hasn’t helped me save the world a time or two?” Tony asks, raising his eyebrows in amusement. 

Harley can’t help the scoff that leaves his lips. “ _ Peter  _ save the world? Sorry, Tony, but I find that a little hard to believe. I can bend him over my knee and snap him like a twig.”

Tony pinches his face, and okay, that’s a weird metaphor but still. “Why are you bending him over your leg?”

“You’re missing my point! There’s no possible way that  _ he  _ could ever help. I mean, he’s... _ him.”  _ Harley knows there is no real explanation for this other than just looking at that kid. How can he be able to do anything? 

“Anything is possible, kid.”

Harley rolls his eyes. Miracles are pretty close to impossible and that is exactly what Peter being able to save the world is. Whatever. Tony probably feels bad for the kid and helps him out, makes him feel like he’s some brainiac. 

“Enough talk about Peter. He has nothing to do with your internship. Focus on your own work.” Tony taps the counter. “Colleges are going to look for a good letter of rec from Tony Stark.”

Harley swallows thickly, avoiding Tony’s eyes. “I’m sure they’d be fine with just my internship, but a recommendation would be awesome.” Harley has been hoping that Tony would offer to write one for him. It would make his job searching a hundred times more successful. 

“They’re going to be more than fine, Harley. Any school would be more than lucky to have you as a student,” Tony says so earnestly that Harley feels a bit of guilt eat away at him. It’s not like he  _ wants  _ to lie to Tony. There’s just no way he can tell him the truth. 

“Yeah,” Harley says and even to his ears, it doesn’t sound very convincing. 

Tony gives him a strange look and he’s about to call him out on it when his phone rings. He pulls the phone out of his pocket and looks down at it. Whoever is calling makes him smile softly. Once the phone is against his ear, he says, “Hey, kiddo.”

Harley can’t help the churning of his stomach. He doesn’t know why Tony giving Peter attention gets on his nerves, but it does. He remembers this feeling from when he was a kid: when he saw all of the other kids at school being picked up by their fathers and he had to walk back by himself. 

“I can do that. Do you have decathlon practice today?” Tony pauses and laughs. “Okay, okay, I’ll see you at three.” He rolls his eyes fondly. “Yeah, yeah, kid, I know.” Another pause. “Goodbye. No, I won’t be late. See you later, Peter.” When he hangs up the phone and pockets it, he turns up to address his ceiling. “Hear that, FRI? Set my alarm to pick up the kiddie at 2:30.”

Harley scowls down at his desk. He doesn’t want to have to keep sharing Tony with this toddler that doesn’t know when he’s not invited. So, Harley enjoys his alone time with Tony until 2:30 comes along. He thinks he’s ready to buck up and let Tony go, but he’s not. 

FRIDAY unfortunately reminds Tony right on the dot.  _ “Boss, it is time to pick up Peter from school.”  _

“Thanks, FRIDAY,” Tony says, already wiping his hands on a rag. 

Harley snaps a piece off of the part he’s working on. “Uh, Tony…” he lifts it up and shows the mechanic. 

Tony’s eyes widen at the sight. “Shit, what happened?” 

Playing dumb, Harley says, “I don’t know. I think I must have pressed too hard.” He tries to look as surprised and upset as he can. 

“Alright, just put it down. I’ll be right back.” Tony goes to move, but Harley can’t let him leave. 

“We’ve gotta get back in now! Before the other parts settle,” he insists even though it makes zero sense. He doesn’t really care. 

“Oh, okay,” Tony’s voices questioningly. “We can, uh, fix it now, but Peter is waiting for me at school.” 

Harley hesitates. “Why don’t you call Happy to pick him up?” 

Tony looks like he doesn’t think that's such a good idea, but he nods his head anyway. “Yeah...sure. I guess.” He pulls out his phone and gives Harley a look. Harley avoids his eyes. Tony sighs and starts calling Happy. “Hey, can you pick up the kid from school? He called me during lunch and I was planning to pick him up, but I have to finish this project with Harley. Harley needs the help. The kid will understand. Yes, I'm sure. Thank you, Happy.”

Tony is quiet for a few minutes until Harley asks, “Why is he coming?”

If the question seems rude, Tony doesn't show it. “Well, this lab is partly his.” Harley ignores the pain that stabs his heart at the thought of  _ Peter  _ having part of the lab when all he got was a temporary table. “And maybe he's got a project he needs to work on. There isn't exactly room in his apartment. Not all of us have a fully equipped garage to ourselves.” Tony was teasing, but his words stung. 

Fully equipped garage. 

That was years ago. 

A few months after it all, one of his mom’s boyfriends ransacked the place and sold whatever he could for good money. 

“Yeah,” Harley says bitterly. “Lucky me.” 

Tony puts down the tool. “Okay, kid. What's up with you? You've been bratty lately to both Peter  _ and me _ . What's going on?” 

“I'm  _ not _ bratty,” Harley replies indignantly and he hates that it makes him sound even brattier. Whatever. 

“No, of course not.” Tony turns back to the tools in his hands. “Let’s just get this finished before it all sets wrong.” 

Their alone time lasts for a half hour more and then Happy and Peter are coming into the lab. Peter looks a little dejected and Harley can’t help but grin. Score one for him. Happy looks a little irritated. But he always does. And he just had to pick up Peter from school and be stuck in the car with him; he doesn’t blame him, really. 

“I thought you were gonna pick me up,” Peter says as he walks in. He tries to sound like it doesn’t matter, but Harley hears the disappointment in his voice. 

“I do have important work to do for--.”

“For your internship. Yeah, yeah, I know,” Peter huffs as he goes to the small table in the corner. Harley was supposed to clear his stuff off of Peter’s table, but he conveniently forgot to. Whoops. 

“Thanks for picking up the kid,” Tony says to Happy. “I didn’t think I wasn’t going to be able to run.” 

“Next paycheck, I expect the cost of ear plugs to be covered,” he says with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Oh, shut up. You love the kiddie.” 

Harley hears Peter mutter something at his desk as he starts pulling out his books. There’s a piece of paper in his hand that he places carefully on top. While the adults are too busy talking to really pay attention to them, Harley walks over to Peter. “Don’t think I’m stupid or something. I’m working next to Tony Stark for a reason.” 

Peter looks up at him, looking confused but also angry. “I never said you were.” 

Harley rolls his eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Tony may believe this whole innocent ‘I just wanna hang out’ act, but I see right through it.”

“What are you talking about?” Peter’s face scrunches up. 

Rolling his eyes, Harley says, “Stop playing dumb. This is  _ my  _ time, okay? So, go run home to your mommy and daddy while I work on stuff that is actually important, unlike whatever the hell you do in here.” 

Somewhere in that sentence, Harley struck a nerve because suddenly, Peter is glaring at him and says in a low angry tone, “Why don’t you go run back home? I was here first.” 

“Maybe in this workshop but not in Tony’s life,” Harley snaps back immediately and he enjoys the way Peter flinches. 

“You--.”

“Hey, Tom and Jerry, stop your bickering and let’s get back to work,” Tony says with a raised eyebrow as he watches them carefully. He can see they’re displeased with each other, but their voices are too low to hear. 

“Sorry, Tony, Peter was just apologizing for disrupting us.” Harley smirks when Peter looks down at his books as his ears burn red. 

“Oh, so you apologize to Harley but not me? I see how it is.” 

Peter doesn’t say a word. 

Tony doesn’t notice anything wrong. “Okay, kid, let’s get this thing done.”

Peter’s head jerks up and he looks a little hopeful, but then Tony winces. “Oh, sorry. I mean Harley.” Peter deflates instantly. 

“Coming, Tony,” he says. He pats Peter’s shoulder. “Good talk.” And then he goes back to Tony’s side at the table. 

And Harley really thinks that’s enough. Peter won’t try to squeeze his way between Tony and him anymore. Except he’s wrong. Everyday for that week, Peter calls Tony to pick him up and everyday Harley has to come up with a new way to keep Tony in the workshop. 

Tony doesn’t catch on. He’s as oblivious as ever. But Peter knows and he looks more and more like a kicked puppy everytime Happy drops him off in the lab. Harley can’t believe the kid is actually still trying to get Tony to pick him up. Does he not know when he’s not wanted? 

Except on Friday, Peter walks into the lab and goes straight for him at his table. Tony is upstairs getting the food that Harley asked him for (courtesy of today’s distraction). He puffs his chest out, which is adorable because it doesn’t make the kid seem any more intimidating. 

“I know what you’re trying to do, Harley,” he says without hesitation. “You’re trying to push me out. And you may have  _ temporarily  _ taken my table, which is still mine, and you may be trying to push me out of this lab entirely, but that will not happen.” 

Harley raises his eyebrows as he stands up, now towering over Peter by a few inches. “Seriously? You think that’s gonna solve this? You think I’m just gonna roll over and show you my belly?” Peter’s hard glare falters slightly. “I think it’s hilarious.” He pauses and Peter doesn’t move. Harley waits a moment. “Go on: ask me what’s hilarious.” 

Peter’s eyes dart around the room quickly before settling back on him. ‘What’s hilarious?”

“ _ You, _ ” Harley says, leaning closer. “The fact that you keep coming around here like a stray dog looking for a scrape of food makes me laugh.” Peter isn’t standing as tall anymore. “Don’t you get the hint when someone doesn’t want you around? I knew it was obvious that I didn’t want you here, but Tony? C’mon, bro.” he shakes his head. 

Peter surprises him by talking back. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Mr. Stark wants me here.” 

Harley raises his eyebrows. “Oh, really? Is that why he drops everything to pick you up from school everyday? Oh wait-- he doesn’t. You have to beg him like a toddler and then he doesn’t even get you. He sends someone else to pick you up.” 

“I like Happy.” 

“That’s good.”

“Mr. Stark is busy.” 

“With me.” Harley rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be smart? Right now, it’s Harley and Tony. It’s always been Harley and Tony. And sure, I’m not around much, so he’s stuck with you, but now that I’m back and he finally has an actual adult to hang around, he doesn’t need you anymore.” 

“You’re just as much of a child as I am.” 

“Not even close. I’m 18-years-old. You’re what? 12?”

Peter snaps right back, “15.”

“Whatever. You’re still a child. And I’ve got real work to do.” He turns away from Peter to go back to the pile of wires on his tabletop. 

“I’m not leaving,” Peter says behind him. Harley doesn’t turn around, but he pauses. “You’re not going to kick me out of here. I’ve dealt with worse than you. So, you’re going to have to put up with me whether you like it or not because I’m not going anywhere.”

“Aw, that’s really cute. You think you stand a chance.” Harley picks up a drill that he doesn’t even need to use. “I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you realize you’re wrong.” He doesn’t waste a minute before turning on the tool so it’s too loud for Peter to say a word. 

Operation: prove that Tony Stark cares for Harley Keener more than Peter Parker is a go.

* * *

Happy pulls up in front of the school for the fourth time that week. It’s not that it’s out of the norm for him to pick the kid up from school, but it’s another day that Peter will run out of the school expecting Tony only to find him. 

The kid isn’t rude. He doesn’t pout about Happy picking him up. He doesn’t sulk in the back. After the initial disappointment, he talks to Happy the entire drive back to the tower. Happy doesn’t take the disappointment to heart; he knows the kid adores him (even after he’s locked him out of the car more times than he can count). It’s damn near impossible for Peter to not like someone. 

That’s the first clue Happy has that maybe this Harley kid isn’t all sunshine and smiles like Tony talks about. Because if Peter Parker has even the slightest problem with you, then you mean some sort of trouble. 

The more Tony calls up Happy to pick up Peter, the more he realizes the real reason. It’s always because he’s doing something with Harley. Something that can wait a half hour for Tony to drive to the school and pick Peter up. 

Tony may be clueless, but Happy isn’t. 

It’s sad to bring the kid down and see the troublemaker at his spot. Peter just goes to the back quietly without even saying a word. 

He’s not looking forward to it happening again when they get to the tower. Especially when he sees the kid rush out of the front doors to the school. He’s smiling brightly because no matter how many times he realizes it’s only Happy, it still hopes and Tony will be out there waiting for him. 

He hurries to the car and throws open the backdoor. He’s gotten better at hiding his disappointment. “Oh, hey, Happy,” he says as he looks to the front seat. 

Happy gives him a small smile. “Hey, kiddo, how was school?”

Peter shrugs his shoulders, that bright smile is no longer on his face. “Eh, it was fine. Aced my pop quiz in English and got out of participating in gym class because there was a fire drill during 6th period. So it was pretty good.” 

Happy doesn’t turn around right away. He wants to give the attention that Tony should be giving the kid. “Thank God for fire drills.” 

Peter surprises him with an actual laugh. “It was hilarious. Flash was in the middle of changing so he had to stand outside with only his gym shirt and boxers on.”

“Hope you’ve got photographic evidence of that.” 

“Of course,” Peter responds quickly. “I’m thinking of submitting it to the yearbook. It’s worth paying to have my own full page in the yearbook.”

“I’ll tell you what: if I can get a copy of it to accidentally retweet on Stark Security’s Twitter, then I’ll go halfsies on buying out a page in the yearbook.” Happy is not kidding. Tony won’t mind. Maybe Pepper. But he’ll just hide that post from her. Surely, the kid can figure out how to do that. 

“Sounds fair.” Peter settles in the back and buckles himself up. 

Happy turns around and starts the car, but he keeps his eyes on Peter through the rearview mirror. “How’s that science project going?” He asks, remembering the flyer he questioned the kid about the other day. Peter told him about how he was going to ask Tony for help. He really wanted to kick some kid’s butt. 

Peter shrugs his shoulders, staring down at his lap. “S’fine.”

“You tell Tony about it yet?” He asks, somehow already knowing the answer. 

“Uh, no, I haven’t gotten the chance to yet.” 

Happy’s grip tightens on the wheel and clenches his jaw. “Something tells me you haven’t gotten the chance to tell him anything these past few days.” 

“What?” Peter frowns, actually sounding confused. 

“Harley,” is all he needs to say and Peter deflates again. 

“Oh. Yeah. Him.” 

“Yeah.  _ Him.  _ I’ve noticed how you’ve been acting when I drop you off to the lab these past few days--.”

Peter sits up straighter and immediately starts to apologize, “I’m  _ so  _ sorry, Happy. He’s just been such a pain to me and I’m really tired of him--.”

“Woah, slow down there, I’m not mad at  _ you _ . It’s the actual brat that I’m little peeved at.” Happy huffs, upset by just thinking of the kid. 

“Oh...really?” He asks hesitantly.

“Yes,  _ really _ .” Happy rolls his eyes. This kid needs self-esteem shot at him continuously with a really big gun. Just never ending stream of confidence. “You think I’m choosing Mr. Brat over you? You’re a brat but a different kind. The good kind.” 

Peter nods at this and it looks like he doesn’t know whether he should be insulted or honored. Honestly, Happy hasn’t got a clue either, so he’ll let the kid decide that one for himself. It was meant to be a compliment but he doesn’t want to outright tell the kid he likes him. That’s dangerous. The kid latches onto everyone that shows even an ounce of affection towards him. It’s a dangerous game. 

“He giving you trouble? Tony won’t hesitate to kick him on his ass. I mean, sure they go back, but you’re  _ Peter _ .” Happy wonders if he should have said that. Peter’s cheeks blush pink. 

He shakes his head. “Harley’s fine. He’s not like bullying me or anything. He just,” Peter shrugs his shoulders, “doesn’t like me.” 

“The kid’s crazy. If I were you, I’d tell him to kiss my ass and tell Tony about the project.” 

Peter laughs again and sometimes that’s all Happy needs to hear. “It’s fine, Hap.” 

Happy decides it's best to let it go for now. 

* * *

Harley leaves his room when he hears Tony calling his name. It's too late to work in the lab, but it wasn't rare for them to just hang out after dinner. 

His good mood is destroyed when he sees Peter sitting on the couch. He looks just as confused as Harley feels. Harley narrows his eyes. “What are you doing here?” 

Peter flinches and Harley rolls his eyes. What a drama queen. Tony comes in the living room and answers for him, “I invited him over. I know you two haven't exactly been the  _ best  _ of friends, but I figured a good ol’ fashioned movie night could help us out.”

Harley scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “You two have fun. I'm going back to my room.” He makes sure to punctuate “my room”. Sure, it's not much and Tony is still planning to fix it up and personalize it for him-- but he still has a room! 

“Nuh-uh, you're staying out here with us.” Tony pats the couch next to him. 

Harley groans as he comes over. He doesn't want to be here, but he doesn't want to leave Tony alone with Peter. “Fine. What movie are we watching?” 

“Something quiet please?” Peter pipes up from the other side of Tony. 

Tony leans in closer to him. “You okay, bud?” 

Peter murmurs something back that Harley can't hear. Harley pretends to ignore them and starts searching through Tony's list of movies. He goes through the list of action movies. 

“We can play something quiet,” he confirms as he pulls away from him. He turns to Harley, but he already has a movie ready to play. 

“How's  _ Die Hard _ ?” He asks, acting like he didn't hear Peter's request. 

“Actually, Har, why don't we watch something else?”

“What? Peter doesn't like  _ Die Hard?  _ What does he want to watch?  _ Cinderella?”  _ Harley huffs. 

Peter sits up and shakes his head. “This is fine. I don't mind it.” 

Tony hesitates. “Are you sure?” 

“‘Course,” Peter says, nodding his head. “Put it on.”

Harley grins and presses play, making sure it put it just a bit louder than normal. Maybe Peter would get up and leave, leaving them to themselves.

And it works. 

Not too long into the movie, Peter makes a sound of a distress.

Peter lets out a low whine and says with a shaky voice, “I'm gonna head to bed, Mr. Stark.” 

Tony’s attention is ripped from the television, even though he had been keeping an eye on Peter the entire time. “Is it a sensory overload?” 

Peter nods his head as his hand grabs Tony's sleeve. “Y-yeah.”

“Alright. We're gonna get you into your room, okay? I soundproofed it and we'll shut the lights off. You're gonna be okay.” He stands up, pulling Peter up with him. 

“I'm sorry,” he says immediately. 

“No apologizing, bud. Just c’mon.” Tony turns back to Harley. “I'll be right back. Keep watching the movie, I've seen it enough to be able to catch up.”

Harley frowns as he watches Tony escort Peter to his bedroom, down the hall. That was weird. A sensory overload? He adds that up with everything else he's noticed and he comes up with one possible explanation. 

He's gone for a while and Harley doesn't bother pausing the movie. He's barely paying any attention; his thoughts on Peter. Tony walked him to bed almost a half hour ago, what is he doing that's taking so long? Reading him a bedtime story?

Before he can wonder about it much more, Tony comes back in and falls to the couch besides Harley. He shuts his eyes and leans back against the cushion; Harley is quick to lower the volume. “You okay?” He asks, quietly. 

Tony scoffs, rubbing a hand over his face. “Me? I'm fine. It’s Peter I'm worried about.” 

Part of Harley does feel guilty for making him feel worse when he already said his head was bothering him. “What's wrong? Is he sick?” 

“Sensory overload,” Tony answers. “He gets them sometimes. Usually only when he's stressed...but recently it's been happening a lot.” 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Harley says, even though he’s not sure. He has no idea how Peter usually acts and no idea if this is his normal behavior. 

“I don’t know, but Peter...just go a little easy on him, okay?” Harley sighs heavily, rolling his eyes. “No,” Tony says, turning to face him. “None of that. You’ve been giving him a hard time since he walked into the lab last week.” 

“That’s just my personality.” 

Something sad, almost like pity, flashes in Tony’s eyes. “No, it’s not. I’ve known you for far too many years to believe that. That’s your defensive personality. The one you use on assholes like your bullies back home or anyone that ever says a single bad thing about me.” 

Harley hates that Tony pities him. He hates that if he knew what Harley is really going through, he’d pity him even more. “I don’t have bullies anymore. They leave you alone when you get old enough to start throwing punches back. And, of course, I’m going to defend you old man.”

Tony grabs his sleeve and tugs him closer to his side. “Well, Peter isn’t a bully. Trust me. Kid’s the exact opposite.”

Harley doesn’t look Tony in the face when he’s pressed against his side. He just mumbles something unintelligible under his breath. Harley doesn’t even know what he’s saying. He’s just grumbling. 

“Wait,” Tony says, amusement in his voice. “Are you  _ jealous?” _

Harley feels himself tense in Tony’s hold. “Am I  _ jealous?  _ Of who?  _ Peter?” _

“No. The man on the moon,” Tony scoffs. “Yes, Peter.” 

“Why would I be jealous of Peter? Can’t even watch  _ Die Hard  _ without making an episode of it.”  _ Because he has Tony every day? Because he has parents to go home to at the end of the day that love him? Because he doesn’t know what it’s like to watch his mother go through boyfriends that only get her more and more addicted? Because he doesn’t know what it felt like to throw himself in front of his baby sister so one of those said boyfriends doesn’t beat her? Because-- _

“Harley! Kid!” Tony is suddenly in his face and his hands are gripping his shoulders. 

Harley barely hears him. He’s panicking. He knows he is. But Tony isn’t going to calm him down. Only one person can calm him down. She isn’t here though. So, he stumbles to his feet from the couch, away from Tony. 

“Harley, breathe. You’re fine. It’s just a panic attack. Remember when I had them?”

Harley shaked his head. Tony can’t know. Because then he’ll ask questions and he’ll find out. “I’m fine. It’s fine. I just don’t feel well.” Before Tony can say another word, Harley rushes to where Peter went. His room is down here as well, but he hopes that Tony doesn’t follow him. 

He shoves his bedroom door open and slams it shut before pulling out his phone. FRIDAY talks to him as he unlocks his phone with shaking fingers. 

_ “Mr. Stark is asking if you need assistance.”  _

“No,” Harley replies immediately. “Tell him I just ate too much. I’m fine.” He finally finds her contact even though it shouldn’t have taken so long. She’s on top. She’s always first. He clicks her name and brings the phone to his ear, muttering under his breath, hoping she picks up. 

Thankfully, before long, she does. Her voice is quiet. “Harley?”

It feels like a rock is being lifted off of his chest when he hears her voice, but his own is still shaky. “Hey, sunshine.” 

“You okay?” She sounds worried, but she shouldn’t be. She’s 12-years-old. She’s still a kid. She doesn’t need the weight of the world on her shoulders. 

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Harley walks over to his bed and sits down. “Just wanted to talk to you. See how you were doing.”

“I’m okay,” she answers and Harley listens close if he can hear anything in the background. He hears girls laughing. 

“You at Casey’s house?” 

“Yup!” 

Harley breathes a sigh of relief. “That’s good.” 

“Did you find a job yet?” Her question is innocent for her. She just wants to check in on her brother. But to Harley, it’s so much more. 

“I’ve got an internship and a place to stay. Maybe this will lead to one and if not, working here will look great on my resume. I’ll be there to pick you up soon.” Harley hesitates before asking, “How’s Mom?” 

“She’s okay.” 

“She still with Randy?” Randy is her most recent boyfriend that Harley knows of. He doesn’t hurt them, but he’s best friends with heroine. 

“Yeah. I think.” 

Harley hates that he had to leave his little sister back in Tennessee, but there aren’t any jobs in his small town that can get them out of there and he couldn’t exactly bring his little sister along on an internship. Tony would ask too many questions. 

“You’ll call me if something happens, right?”

“Yeah, of course,” she replies immediately, but Harley doesn’t know if he can believe her. She’s a lot like him...self sacrificial. 

“Annie Keener.” 

“Harley Keener.” 

“I mean it. Tell me the second that something happens and I’ll be on the next plane to Rose Hill.” 

Harley can practically hear her roll her eyes. “I know, but I’ll be fine. Enjoy your time there. Everything is okay here.” 

Nothing is ever okay back home. People would be surprised at what they see when the lights come on in a small town. 

“Alright...I’m gonna let you go, sunshine. Go have fun with your friends.” He feels safe enough to hang up the phone and let her go when she isn’t with Randy and their mother. 

“I love you, Harley! Bye!” 

“I love you too, Annie. Talk to you tomorrow.” 

After hanging up the phone with her, he feels all of his energy drained. He closes his eyes and lays down without even getting underneath the blankets. As long as Annie is safe, he’s at peace. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Annie,” he whispers. “It’s all gonna be alright.”

* * *

“You didn’t see them,” Tony sighs as he vents to Rhodey on the phone. “It’s been almost a week since they met. Why can’t they just...get along?” 

Rhodey chuckles. “Man, they’re kids. Who thought they were the only kid in Tony Stark’s life and suddenly they have to share.” 

“No way. Harley has a sister. He knows how to share attention and Peter isn’t like that.”  _ Die Hard  _ is still playing on the television, but Tony kept it on just so that neither of the boys can hear him talk to Rhodey. 

“Apparently they’re  _ both  _ like that. And that’s fine. You’ve just gotta know how to give each of them their time until they’re used to each other.” 

Tony runs a hand over his face. “I tried having a movie night. But it didn’t work. Peter had a sensory overload and Harley had a panic attack.” 

“Wow. You guys are having a time over there.” Rhodey lets out a low whistle. 

“They’re both in their rooms. I think they’re asleep by now.” He stares over at the hallway.

“Go check on them, Dad.” 

Tony scrunches his face. “What?”

“I know you’re worried about them. Just go check in on them.” 

Tony is already standing up. “Alright...yeah. I just wish they were getting along. We got along so well from day one. Why can’t they be mini Iron Bros?”

“Iron Bros?”

“That’s our name. Y’know...since we both have a suit of armor. We have fanfiction written about us. It’s not all platonic though. Those are my favorites.” 

“Stop reading fanfiction and go take care of your kids.” 

“Alright, alright. I’ll send you the links later. You prefer being a top or bottom?” 

_ “Tony.”  _

“Love you, honeybear!” 

“Yeah. I love you too.” He hangs up the phone and then takes in a deep breath before letting it out. He puts his phone away and then starts walking towards their rooms. Peter’s room is first and he’s probably going to be the easier one. 

And when he opens Peter door, carefully, to keep too much light streaming in, he is the easiest. Because he’s asleep. He’s curled up under one sheet, the softest sheet Tony could buy. Peter hates having too much touching his skin during a sensory overload. 

Tony keeps his feet light on the floor and makes his way over to Peter’s bed. His face is lax in his sleep, which Tony is grateful for. He brushes some hair off his forehead and sighs. “What’s going on with you, Pete...I wish you would just tell me.” 

Peter doesn’t respond, not that Tony expected him to. 

Tony takes one last look down at him before leaving the room before he accidentally wakes Peter up. Then he walks to the room Harley’s staying in and knocks. He could probably still be awake. “Hey, Harley…” 

There’s no answer. Tony tries one more time with no response before he pushes open the door and sticks his head in the room. Harley is laying on the bed, on top of the blankets with all of his clothes still on. His phone is laying only a few inches away from his hand. Tony wonders who he called. Maybe his mom or sister back home. 

Tony goes inside quietly and walks to Harley. Very very carefully, he pulls his shoes off his feet and then his socks. He stills, watching Harley’s reaction to see if that woke him up. But he only lets out a loud snore that makes Tony stifle a laugh. 

Then, he pulls the blankets from underneath him. That’s harder, but he gets it done without waking Harley up. He tucks it around him and brushes his hair off his forehead just as he did to Peter. Harley’s is more shaggier and gets in his eyes easier. It reminds Tony of how young he was when he first met him. 

The kid never gave up on him when he was having a hard time with his anxiety. Tony isn’t going to give up on him. “It’s gonna be okay, kid. I’ve got you.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was so happy to see how angry you were getting at harley last chapter. I'm glad he ignited fury in you guys too.

After the movie night, Peter gives up trying to get a chance to work with Tony. Harley is keeping most of his attention and the science fair comes too soon. So he works in his bedroom just like he did before he got a spot in the lab with Tony. 

Tony checks in more than Peter thought he would. He’s always sending him texts just to chat or invite him over to the tower. Peter always has an excuse to say no. He doesn’t want Tony to pick sides and he probably doesn’t even realize he is, but it feels like he’s picking Harley’s. 

He wants to just finish his project on his own and wait until Harley goes back home and everything can go back to normal. He almost gets away with pushing off every one of Tony’s attempts to get him over. 

Until Happy starts pushing it too. 

He’s dropping him off at school one morning when he brings it up. “I think I should drive you over to the tower today after school.” 

Peter tries not to let himself sound too frustrated. “Happy, I can’t. I have to work on my science fair project.” 

“The science fair is still 2 weeks away, kid. You’ve got time to work on it. One day won’t hurt you.” The fact that Happy knows exactly when his science fair warms his heart. 

“I don’t wanna go over there, Happy.” 

“I’ve been talking to Rhodey--.”

Peter groans. 

“Shut it,” Happy says quickly before continuing. “And he’s been talking to Tony because apparently I’m too biased for Team Peter. Whatever that means.”

“Sounds like Rhodey’s been reading too much “Twilight.” 

_ “Anyway.  _ I really think you should go there and give the kid a chance." 

"Happy, no! He's a dick! I don't want to." Peter crosses his arms over his chest and glares out the window some more. 

“And so was I when we first started hanging out,” Happy says, not seeming ashamed at all. 

“Yeah...but I was an annoying kid and you’re an adult. He’s a kid too.” And Happy was never as mean as Harley is. 

“Well, Tony is gonna wise up and if the kid tries anything--.” 

“Don’t call him that,” Peter grumbles before he can stop it from coming out. He stares ahead and his eyes meet Happy’s in the rear-view mirror. 

Happy studies him briefly before his eyes go back to the road. “Oh. Jealous, huh?”

“I’m so  _ not _ jealous.”

“Alright, kid. Whatever you say,” Happy says as he pulls up in front of Midtown. 

Peter goes to leave the car when it stops, but Happy keeps the child-lock on. 

He turns around and waits to get Peter’s attention again. “Pete, I know we...I know he’s being a dick, but, you’ve got to remember that he doesn’t have this. He goes home and he doesn’t have Tony Stark everyday. He doesn’t have his own spot in Tony Stark’s lab. He doesn’t have any of this and it’s easy to be jealous of what you have.” 

“Him jealous of me?”

“Why not?” 

Peter doesn’t understand why anyone would be jealous of him. He has shit Parker luck. He doesn’t answer Happy because he really doesn’t want to make a lecture of it. Not when he has 5 minutes to get into school before he’s late. 

“So then it’s final. I’m picking you up and we’re going to Tony’s.” 

Peter nods his head a few times, still trying to convince himself to actually do that. Finally, he gives in and sighs. “Okay. Yeah.”

“Thank you, kid. And you know if you want to leave, text me and I’ll be there.” 

“Like Kim Possible.”

Happy unlocks the doors. “Yeah. Just like Kim Possible.” 

Peter gets out of the car and before he shuts the door, he sticks his head back in the car and says, “You know what else I have that he doesn’t, Happy?”

“What’s that, kid?”

“You.”

* * *

Peter stresses about seeing Harley and Tony the entire day. He’s so busy worrying about how awkward that’s going to be that he doesn’t sense when Flash comes up behind him. He’s packing up his backpack at the end of the day when he feels him shove his shoulder. 

“Penis, you back out of that science fair yet?”

Usually, Peter has to let himself slip so that Flash doesn’t get suspicious, but this time his reaction is real. He falls forward and smacks right into the lockers. “Flash, what the hell?” 

Flash grabs his shoulder and yanks him around to stare at him. “I said you better not even  _ think  _ about entering.” 

Peter really doesn’t need to deal with this today. He’s already so fed up with enough of his own drama, he doesn’t want to deal with Flash’s. “Flash, I’m going to do whatever I want to do.” 

“So you want me to embarass you in front of all those people? I’ll kick your ass. Make you cry to your mommy. If you had one of those.” 

Peter can deal with a lot of Flash’s crap. He does deal with a lot. But hearing him make comments about his parents or Ben, it’s just too much. “Flash, you know what? I think the real reason you don’t want me to enter too is because you know  _ you’re  _ going to the one embarrassed. You’re going to be the one embarrassed. Just like last time. Because I’m going to win  _ again.”  _

Flash narrows his eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about, Parker." Then he's glancing around like he's nervous people around them are listening. He always wants it to be broadcasted across the entire hallway when Peter's the one on the ground. But he's in the spotlight of humiliation and he doesn't want anyone around.

"Except I do. I know exactly what I'm talking about. You're scared of me winning. You're scared of me showing you up and making you look like a fool in front of everyone."

Flash's eye twitches. 

"You know...kinda like every Decathlon meet." 

Flash throws his fist so quickly, Peter isn't ready for it. Flash has shoved him plenty of times before, but never has it gotten this physical. But never has Peter stood up for himself like this. 

Peter's back collides into the lockers with a loud crash and he tries to ignore the pain from it. Flash is grabbing his shirt before he can even react and shakes him roughly. "Shut up!" 

Peter feels bad for Flash. He doesn't have to think too hard to know where he learned a reaction like this from. He's seen him flinch when his dad claps him on the back after the school functions he actually shows up for. 

Flash is dealing with a lot. It's why Peter lets himself be his punching bag at school. So he has some way to get all his frustration out. 

But he's not having it today. 

"Get off of me, Flash." Peter shoves him off and Flash stumbles backwards from the force of it. He could say so many things to get back at him and to make him feel like he feels. But he bites his tongue because that's what the bigger person does. 

He grabs his backpack off the floor and glances behind him. Flash is staring at him with wide eyes. "I'm doing the science fair, Flash. Get over it." 

He takes his time walking down the hallway so it doesn't look like he's as upset as he feels. He knows people are staring. Some in awe and some in confusion. 

Penis Parker never stands up for himself like that. Not until today. 

He keeps his calm even when he's sitting in the backseat of Happy's car. He's ready to sit in silence the entire way home until Happy turns around in his seat and stares at Peter like he's a beaten kitten. 

"What the hell?" 

Oh, right. His face. 

Peter lifts a hand to his cheek and he can feel it already swelling up. "It's nothing." 

"Nothing? You definitely did not have that this morning when I dropped you off. So that means it happened during school." Happy glances back over at the building and for a moment, Peter is worried he's going to go storming in there. 

"It's nothing, Happy." 

"Who did it?" 

Peter refuses to answer. 

"Was it Flash or someone else?" 

"Just take me home, Happy." 

Happy hesitates before turning back around and starting the car up. He pulls out into the street and says, "Nope. You're going to the tower. Remember?" 

Peter groans loudly as he does remember. He leans against the back of his seat and squeezes his eyes shut. "Can we  _ please  _ skip today? I don't want to go there like this!"

"Nope. You've canceled way too many times. You're going." Happy sounds like he isn't changing his mind, which socks because he can be incredibly stubborn when he wants to be. 

"I don't want to go!" 

"And I don't want to turn my head when some dickwad in school is giving you a hard time." 

"If I tell you who did it, can I go home?" Peter tries, desperate to do anything. 

"Nope because you won't let me do anything about it even if I did know." 

"Because he's got a hard time at home and I know he takes it out on me. There's no reason to get all worked up!" Despite his words, Peter feels himself getting worked up. 

"Nobody has a good excuse to be a bully," Happy says, meeting his eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Nobody." 

“Someone should tell Harley that,” Peter grumbles, looking away. 

  
  


* * *

Peter can’t convince Happy to take him home. So, less than a half hour later, he finds himself walking into Tony’s lab, trying to keep his head down so Tony doesn’t see. 

In his head, the plan worked, but when Tony immediately turns to him to greet him, it does not work. “Hey, Pete. Wanna look at me?”

“Ah, yeah…” He turns his head so that his bruised eye isn’t facing Tony. That only makes it more obvious. 

Then Tony is walking over and taking Peter’s chin to turn his head. Tony looks him in the eyes first before they zero in on his right eye. The one that’s currently swelling up. He can fell his pulse against his cheek. 

He isn’t kidding around when he asks, “What happened?”

“I told Flash off,” he says, hoping that’s enough to distract him from the bruising. 

“You...told Flash off? You mean the kid that’s been giving you trouble for years...you finally stood up to him?” His eyes widen slightly in disbelief. 

“Yeah. Was tired of being treated like shit.” There’s more behind the words. Tony knows this too. He has to. 

“Alright, hey, watch the language.” Tony pats his other cheek lightly twice before shaking his head. “I’m proud of you, kid.” 

“Thanks,” he says as he glances around the lab. There’s no sign of Harley. It’s the perfect time to tell him about his science fair. He still has two weeks. Tony can help him out. “Where’s Harley?”   
“He got a phone call and took it in the hallway.” Tony sighs and continues, “Pete, I know I haven’t been the best lately. I should have done better with you two. I just thought you’d both hit it off like Rhodey and Tony in their MIT glory days.” 

“Are you speaking in third person again?” Peter asks so he doesn’t have to acknowledge the actual emotions to this conversation. 

Tony picks up on it and says, “I’m trying to be serious here. I haven’t been the best to you lately. Harley just...he’s not as lucky as you and I’ve been trying to help.” 

_ “Lucky as me?”  _ Peter repeats incredulously, failing to see what Peter is so lucky to have. 

“Oh, Peter, come on-- I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean that…” Tony trails off without finishing it. Peter raises his eyebrows. He sighs and tries again, “I want him to feel like he’s at home. He has no one else here. Just me. And he’s starting up his life as an adult and that’s scary.” 

Peter huffs and he wants to not care. But Harley has been nothing but a dick to him. He doesn’t need an excuse to go for Peter’s throat. He just  _ does.  _

“I know you guys might have gotten off on the wrong foot and that’s my fault, but he’s not that bad. If--.” 

Harley comes back into the lab, stealing the attention of the room. He slams the door open and is muttering angrily under his breath. When he finally looks up and sees them, he immediately makes eye contact with Peter. 

Peter freezes and he waits for all of that anger in his eyes to explode on him. He isn’t sure he can take another round like he had with Flash. But he squares his shoulders and waits. He’s surprised at what he directs the anger to. 

“Who did that?”

It takes Peter a moment to realize he’s talking about him. “Why do you care?”

Harley stalks closer and this anger isn’t directed at him, for once, but it frightens Peter. “Who did that?”

“Why? You wanna go give them a high five?” Peter retorts.

Harley pulls a face. “Peter, I would never--.” 

“Oh, really? Because you’re making it kinda hard to tell. You act just like him. You act like all of them! You’re not fooling anyone.” 

That seems to stir something in Harley and he snaps, “No, I’m not! You have  _ no  _ idea what you’re talking about, Peter! I’m  _ nothing _ like them.” 

Peter doesn’t think Harley is talking about the bullies at his school. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re a bully! You pick on people when they’re down to make yourself feel better!” 

Harley’s eyes flicker over to Tony and Peter sees a flash of panic in his eyes. Like he’s just realizing Peter is right. 

Peter remembers how nice it felt to finally knock Flash down a step, so he continues, “You know what? I feel bad for you. I’m sorry for whatever happened to you that you need to act like this. It’s sad.” 

“Don’t feel bad for me. I’m  _ fine.  _ Everything is fine.” Harley is panicking, Peter can tell. 

Tony notices too because he comes between the two of them. “Alright, knock it off. I don’t know what the hell has gotten into both of you, but it needs to stop.” He looks between the both of them and then sighs. “You need to learn to get along like I know you can. Personalities clash, but that’s no reason to be mean to one another.” He says that, looking pointedly at Harley. 

“Yeah, Harley,” Peter adds on just to make it hurt. 

“Peter!” Tony says as if Peter just said every curse word in the English language. He sighs and then shakes his head. “You’re both out of here.” 

They both whirl around to face Tony. Their anger is replaced by shock. “What?!” 

“You heard me. Neither one of you are allowed in the lab until you’re getting along. Go and figure it out. You’re lucky I’m not locking you in a room until you get along. I am not above that.” 

Peter narrows his eyes and glares at the ground. “I didn’t even want to come here in the first place.” 

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Tony says, not sounding like he’s letting Peter’s words get to him. He sounds exasperated though. He sounds tired. 

“So then he can leave and I can stay,” Harley says, quickly. The boy that was angry to see a bruise on his face is gone now. 

“Nope. That’s not how this is going to work.” Tony puts a hand on their shoulders and starts pushing them towards the exit. “Go take a walk around the block and come back. Then you can come back in.” 

“I am  _ not  _ walking with him,” Peter says as they’re shoved out the door. 

“Like I’d even let you walk within a 6 foot radius of me.” 

“Stop arguing like toddlers. Go and figure out how to get along or neither of you get lab time.” 

* * *

They go on the walk. They don’t have to. Tony doesn’t follow them out to make sure they do. But they still find themselves walking out of Stark tower side by side. They don’t say a word, but at least they’re not actively arguing. 

Harley seems more interested in his phone. He keeps checking it every 10 seconds. It doesn’t ring or even vibrate. 

Peter eyes him from the corner of his eyes. He only seems to get more agitated as the seconds pass. And it doesn’t have anything to do with Peter, it’s whoever he’s waiting to hear from. “We could--.” 

Harley starts walking faster so he’s not next to Peter. Peter narrows his eyes and walks quicker. 

“Are you an asshole all the time?”

“Oh, so now you want to talk to me?” Harley replies, not stopping or slowing down. 

“You’re the one that suddenly care about my well being.” 

“You’re a kid. Kids should never have bruises.” 

Harley is right, but Peter is used to this. Ever since he first suited up as Spider-Man, there has always been a bruise on him somewhere at all times. “Yeah, well, I’m used to it.” 

This has Harley stopping short. He stares at Peter like he’s actually concerned. 

Peter furrows his brow. “What?”

“You can’t just say shit like that and expect me not to give a reaction.” 

“Not like you actually care, so don’t pretend.” 

Harley groans and then starts walking again. “I really don’t have the patience to deal with you today. You couldn’t have picked a worse day to do this.” 

“Do what?” Peter sputtered, trying to catch up to him. 

“Please just leave me alone. We’ll take our walk and then go back in. We’ll take turns in the lab. I have to call home anyway.” 

Peter wants to argue that he was going to suggest that before being ignored. But something stops him. Something worse than any of their petty fights. His spidey sense goes off and it’s  _ bad.  _

“Harley, wait!” 

“Leave me alone, Peter!” 

_ Something was wrong. Something was  _ so  _ wrong.  _

“Harley, please! Just-- come back to the tower!” 

“No, I’m taking my walk. I need to clear my mind. You’re more than welcome to go run back.” 

Harley is a few feet in front of him, so when it happens, Peter doesn’t have time to even grab his arm. He walks past an alley and he disappears. He’s yanked somewhere out of sight. 

Peter freezes. Part of him wants to think it’s Harley just playing a joke on him. But he doesn’t come out. Peter glances around, wondering if anyone noticed, but it’s New York and no one cares about anything other than the phone in front of them. Even the ones not with their head in a phone don’t notice. 

Peter takes a hesitant step closer to the alley and he knows he should send a text to Tony or Happy, but that takes time and Harley might not have time. “Harley? It’s not funny...come on out.” 

He steps into the alley and looks around for Harley. Before he’s even in there for a few seconds, someone grabs his wrist and yanks him farther into the dark. He’s shoved up against the brick wall and there’s someone in his face. 

This isn’t Harley. 

This is a man Peter doesn’t know. And he covers Peter’s mouth and nose with a rag. Peter shouldn’t, but he takes in a panicked breath and instantly, he knows what he’s breathing in. He wants to fight it and run, but he doesn’t. 

They have Harley. Peter has to protect him. 

So he hopes the watch on his wrist is detecting his change in vitals and lets the man keep the rag on his face. It takes longer than it probably took them to knock out Harley, but soon, Peter’s vision turns black and his legs give out underneath him. 

The man scoops him up and the last thing Peter hears is, “I’ve got them both. Throw them into the van and let’s go.” 

The man laughs and then Peter’s world really does go dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fun starts now. bonding and torture. not to be confused with bondage and torture.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am officially done with college!!! Less time for homework, more time for writing!!!
> 
> Warning in this chapter for Harley cursing a lot, violence, mentions of child abuse, and guns.

Peter wakes up groggy and unable to push himself up off the ground he's laying on. It takes only a few seconds for him to remember being pulled into the alley and drugged. 

This isn't the first time he'd been kidnapped, so he doesn't immediately panic. 

Not until he realizes that this is the first time  _ Peter Parker  _ has been kidnapped. And probably Harley too. 

He isn't Spider-Man now, so he can't use his strength to fight his captors. He has to pretend to just be some kid too weak to throw a good punch. He hates playing damsel in distress.

He glances round the small room they're in and can't see anything that really stands out. There's a door, a cot, and Harley.  Harley's on the ground only a few feet away from him, so Peter crawls over and pressed two fingers against his neck. He holds his breath until he feels a pulse.  Harley isn't going to wake up as soon as Peter did because he doesn't have his same metabolism, but he hopes that he wakes up sooner than later. 

Even if Peter has been kidnapped as Spider-Man before, he doesn't feel comfortable being in the same situation again. Especially without the suit. He always felt braver with that mask on. Like he could stand up to anyone. 

Peter gets up to his feet slowly and waits until he's sure he's steady.  Then he leans down and picks Harley up carefully and brings him over to the cot. It's only got a lumpy and dirty mattress on it, but it's better than the floor so Peter lays him down gently. As he does so, he wonders if Harley would have done the same for him.

Brushing that thought off, Peter starts to walk around the room, feeling the walls for something. He knows there's nothing here and that he's not going to find him. But it keeps him busy enough to not feel so alone until Harley stirs. 

It's less than a half hour later when Harley makes the first sound. Peter turns to stare over at where he's beginning to move on the cot but keeps his distance. 

It takes Harley a few minutes to fully wake up and be coherent enough to understand what's going on. Peter watches the emotions flash across his face as he does.  It settles on shocked with wide eyes and rapidly increasing breathing. He snaps his head to Peter and his voice is panicked, "What the hell is going on?" 

"Someone grabbed us off the street. Remember the alley?" Peter is patient. He's worried too, but Harley isn't a superhero. This isn't normal for him. Peter has to keep his own panicking under control. 

Harley is confused for only a second before the realization is sudden in his eyes. "Oh fuck…" 

"Yeah. I've only been up a few minutes before you. No one has come in or anything." 

Harley leans forward and hides his face in his hands. "Oh,  _ fuck."  _

Shifting from one foot to the next, Peter clears his throat. "It's gonna be okay. I pressed a button on my watch before they grabbed me. I'm not wearing it anymore, but hopefully, they kept it close enough to tell Mr. Stark where we are." 

Harley looks up at him. "Your what?" 

"Mr. Stark gave me a watch so that if I was ever in trouble I could press the button and it would send him an emergency alert." Peter rubs his wrist, feeling vulnerable without it. Even more so than he does with his suit. 

“Of course, he did,” Harley mumbles and Peter can hear it thanks to his super hearing. 

The attitude makes Peter narrow his eyes. “What’d you say?”

“Nothing,” Harley replies, quickly. 

“No, Harley, you know what? I’m tired of this. I don’t know what I did to you, but I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. That gives you no reason to act like a jackass all the time! I’m sorry that you’re jealous of me, but--.” 

Harley is still struggling to wake up, but that has him heated. “I’m not jealous of you, Peter.” 

“Oh, yeah. That’s really convincing.” 

“Oh, fuck off,” Harley snaps. “You’re such a brat. I don’t care what act you play up for Tony, but you’re just an annoying little kid trying to keep up with the big boys.” 

“And you’re just a bully!” Peter snaps back. 

“Me?” Harley laughs. “No...you wanna know what a bully is? A bully is some kid that jumps you every day on the walk home from school and just leaves you there. A bully is some 50-year-old drunk bastard that beats you with his belt. A bully is a terrorist framing innocent people for his own sins. Those are bullies.” He’s on his feet now and it’s actually a little intimidating. “I know what a bully is because I’ve been through all of that shit, Peter. I’ve seen all of it. What have you been through?”

“You don’t know what I’ve been through,” Peter says a moment later. “You have no idea. So you shouldn’t be going around here and talking to me like that unless you know because if you did, then you wouldn’t be treating me like this.” 

“And you don’t know what I’ve been through,” Harley argues, not letting Peter back him down. “Even after what I just said, you have no idea! And now we’re stuck in this fucking shithole and you want to sit here and cry at me for being a bully?”

“Because we’re stuck here together, Harley! Whether you like it or not, it’s just you and me in here. And arguing isn’t going to help us at all. We need to look out for each other and  _ trust  _ each other or--.” 

The door slams open before Peter can finish. He steps in front of Harley so he’s not in their line of sight. The man walks in wearing a ski mask over his face. Peter is thankful for that because that means they plan to let them go. That’s a good sign. 

“Wasn’t sure when you two were gonna wake up until I heard you bickering like an old married couple.”  
  
“I wouldn’t marry him even if he was the last person on earth,” Harley replies and Peter turns to face him because is he seriously going to beat up on him in front of their kidnapper? But then he sees the look in his eyes and he knows he’s just trying to get the attention on him. 

"I really don't give a shit," the man says as another man walks in the room. He also has on a ski mask. "The only reason you're here is so Stark gives me what I want without too much of an argument."

"Tony Stark? Why would he care about two random interns?" Peter asks, doing his best to play dumb. He's nervous, but he doesn't want to fail. He can't. 

"Don't bullshit me, kid. I know you're both more than that. We've seen you both out with him at least once. We've been watching you." 

"Well, that's just a little bit freaky. Stalking kids?" Harley scoffs. "What a bunch of creeps." 

"I'm not here to argue with toddlers. I'm here for a photo and then we're gone." The man gestures to the other behind him. "Hold the one on the bed, I'm gonna use the little one with the big brown eyes. They'll look good crying in the picture." 

Harley struggles and the other man quickly closes the distance between them. He grabs Harley by the neck and pulls him against his side before pressing a gun to his temple. 

Peter freezes, any thought of fighting gone. He raises his hands in the air and says carefully, "Okay, I'll do whatever you want. Don't hurt him." 

The man doing all the talking laughs. "That's a good boy." He comes up behind Peter and grips him by the hair. Peter yelps and his hands instinctively go to his hair to try and unlatch them. "No touching," the man tsks as he pulls him down and Peter struggles to keep up before he's keeling on the ground. 

Harley is still silent, which Peter is thankful for. 

The man doesn't wait another moment before punching Peter across the face. He's still holding him by his hair so he can't go far and he does it again. 

"What the hell?" Harley yells and Peter can hear him struggling. "Why the fuck are you beating him?" 

The man pauses after another punch and answers, "Incentive." 

"You don't need to punch him! Tony will give you the money either way. Just stop it!" Harley sounds scared. Peter doesn't like hearing him scared. 

"I need him looking a little bloody for the picture." The man pulls his head back so Peter is staring up at him. He studies his face, inspecting his work. 

The eye that was already bruised is now swollen shut. He feel his bottom lip split open and a trail of blood is streaming down his nose. 

"This will do for now...if I were Stark, then I would definitely give in. Right away." He smiles as if he's proud of it. Maybe he is. Then he drags him backwards and Peter struggles to move along. He collides with the metal cot and there are hands on him, pulling him up. 

Peter turns around and sees that Harley is the one that's holding him. He looks furious as he looks over Peter's face. Then he turns to the man with the gun pointed right at them. "You think you're so tough, huh? Does beating up a few kids get you going? Is that what gets your rocks off?" 

"Harley," Peter says, barely able to speak around his swelling lip. "Don't." 

"Please don't. Because then we'll have to beat you up some more. Do you want that?" 

Peter isn't sure if he imagines Harley's hold on him tightening. He hopes he didn't. 

"Now smile pretty for Tony. He's probably worried sick about you both."  The man holding up the camera at them only gets a glare from Peter and he sees Harley hold up a finger from the corner of his eyes. "I guess that will have to do." There's a flash and then the camera goes away. 

Peter wants the men to go away with it. His head is pounding more than it already was and he feels seconds away from throwing up. 

Part of him wants Harley to go too. He doesn't want to have to hear him after this. 

"I think we have everything we need for now. One of us will be back with some food for you both soon. The other will be sending this pretty picture to Daddy Stark and making our demands." 

The man with the gun lets go of Harley and Peter hears him let out a breath of relief when the gun is off his head. He follows the man out of the room and the door slams shut behind him. 

Neither of them say a word. Neither of them move. Peter is still half off of the cot as Harley holds him. 

Then like he's snapped back into reality, he lets go. 

Peter falls down to his knees but doesn't complain. He's had so much worse. This is really just an annoyance. 

"Peter, fuck-- are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. Leave me alone." 

"Let me check if you've got a concussion at least. He hit you so hard." 

"I know what a concussion feels like. I'm fine." Peter leans against the cot and shuts his eyes. The light isn't close to bright, but it's still too much on his eyes. 

"It should have been me," Harley grumbles a few moments later. 

Peter groans, knowing he won't be getting peace and quiet any time soon. "Please don't start this." 

"No! I'm older and I'm used to this. I'm the one that takes the beatings. It shouldn't be you." 

Peter isn't sure if Harley is upset because he feels like it's a shot to his pride or if he genuinely cares that Peter is hurt. "If you're so used to this, then why don't you give someone else a chance then?" Silence. "No? Okay, good talk." Peter hopes he stays silent. 

Of course it doesn't last. "We have to do something. We need to get out of here." 

"No. We have to stay put," Peter corrects, pinching his nose as he leans forward. The blood is still pouring. He wonders if it's broken. Again. 

"And what? Wait for them to beat us again? No, thanks." 

"Don't be stupid, Harley! They just want money. That's all that this is about. They haven't showed us their faces which means they plan on letting us go. Mr. Stark will give them the money and then we'll be free to go." Peter feels his head pound more with each word he says. He just wants to sleep and wake up in Tony's lab. 

"Fine. But the next time they come in, I'm taking the hits." 

Peter scoffs as he wipes his nose with his sleeve. "Not sure we have a choice."  _ And if we do, it's going to be me every time.  _

* * *

They bring in food for them, which is actually pretty good for kidnapping standards. It's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a bottle of water each.  Harley and Peter both eat it without complaint. There's been a silence in the room since right after Peter's beating and now that hid head doesn't hurt as much, he wishes Harley would say something. He hates the quiet. 

When one of them comes to take their empty plates, Harley tries jumping him. Peter doesn't see him in time to stop him and he's thrown off the guy's back. 

Just as Peter gets to his feet, the man has his hand wrapped around Harley's throat and he doesn't look like he's letting go anytime soon. 

"Stop! Let him go!" Peter shouts, holding back his strength as he punches the man's arm. 

The man ignores him as he continues to strangle Harley. His face is red as he chokes. Peter feels his heart racing. "You try and touch me, kid, huh?!" 

Peter knows he has to do something before this guy kills Harkey in a blind rage, ransom be damned. With just enough force to get him off of Harley, he shoves him and he stumbles to the side. His beady eyes go from Harley to him. 

Immediately, the man backhands him across the face. That ignites the pain in his cheek from a dull throbbing to an intense burning. He covers his face with his hand as the man towers over them. 

"I could kill you both," he growls. "I could kill you and no one would know. No one would find you." He stomps his foot against the cement ground and Peter can't help it when he flinches. "Go to bed, brats."

He's out of the room right after that, empty plates forgotten. Harley is still wheezing on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Peter scrambles over to him immediately. 

Harley is gasping for breath and his eyes are wide and panicked. Peter leans over him so he's in his line of vision. "You're okay, Harley. Deep breath."

It takes him a few times before he manages to regulate his breathing again. When he's able to, he pushes himself up and rubs his neck gently. Peter can already see a bruise forming around his throat. 

"Harley, what the hell was that?" 

"I'm trying to get us out of here." He winces as he lowers his hand. "Obviously, my plan was flawed." 

"I could have told you that if you bothered to tell me what the hell you planned on doing!" 

Harley rolls his eyes. "I didn't really plan on it until I saw him come in." 

"We're supposed to just sit and behave until Tony either gives them the money or comes to get us." 

Harley huffs and stands up. Peter does as well, staying close in case he isn't steady on his feet. "I don't want to just  _ sit  _ here." 

"That's our only option." 

Harley sighs and walks over to the cot and sits slowly. He's staring down at the floor when he says, "Thanks for getting that asshole off of me."

"You don't have to thank me for helping you. I know the feelings might not be the same, but I don't hate you, Harley." Peter sits down besides him on the cot but keeps his distance. 

Harley hesitates before he answers, "I don't hate you, Peter." 

Peter has a hard time believing that, but he doesn't say anything. That would just start another argument. Instead, he just lays down on one side of the cot. "You should get some rest. Who knows how long they'll leave us alone for." 

Peter curls up, making sure to give Harley more than enough room to lay down. He stays quiet, waiting to feel the mattress dip, but it never does. 

At least, not before Peter falls asleep. 

* * *

"Alright! Out of bed, brats!" The door slams open with the yell. 

Peter blinks his eyes open and tries to ignore them. He's tired. His head still hurts-- and that can't be good. Another hit to the head and he might have brain damage. 

Feet come closer to them and they sound like they belong to someone angry. 

Peter is laying there and doesn't plan on moving unless someone drags him out of bed. But then there's someone on top of him. He flinches and waits for the punching or the hand to wrap around his throat. But it never comes. 

It doesn't come because it's not one of the men on top of him. It's Harley. 

"Don't touch her!" He shouts, still covering him protectively. 

_ Her?  _ Peter wants to question it, but he doesn't. 

Harley is dragged off of him less than a minute later and he goes, kicking and screaming. 

Peter gets up now that Harley isn't pinning him down. "Harley, I'm okay! I'm fine! Don't fight them." 

"You're so lucky that Stark's giving us the money. We would have had fun with you two." The man not holding Harley grabs Peter and drags him off the bed. 

"What?" Peter says, trying to keep up with him. 

"We're bringing you both to the spot we told Stark we're dropping you off at. Fight us and you won't be breathing when you get there."

Peter turns to Harley and says, "Hear that, Harley? We're going home! Don't fight. Please." 

Harley stops fighting, but he still looks half asleep. Peter wonders if he could put up a fight even if he wanted to. He sounds confused, still protective. "Peter?" 

"Harley,--." Peter is cut off when the men start to snap handcuffs on their wrists. Peter doesn't fight him, but he's still rough. 

Harley is pushed out of the room and Peter follows behind. There isn't any more fighting on the way outside. Not until they start to shove Harley into the car. He tries to stop them from pushing him in, but he's immediately stopped when the man holding him grabs him by his hair and smashes his head into the car. 

Peter shoves the man holding him off and helps him up. One of them tries to pull Peter away from him. Peter can tell he's struggling to stay conscious. "I'll get him in the car! Just-- stop!" 

"You have 10 seconds." 

Peter pulled him up easily into the backseat of the car and followed him in. The door slams shut, but Peter doesn't pay it any mind. He's too focused on making sure the bleeding gash in Harley's forehead isn't too deep. 

"Fuck," Harley curses as Peter brushes Harley's hair off his forehead. "That hurt like a bitch." 

"I bet…" Peter says, careful not to touch it. He wishes he could clean it out with something before it gets infected. "But don't worry...we're going to get back to Mr. Stark. Can I just ask you one thing?" 

"Sure." 

_ Who's the her? Why did you call me her?  _ "Can you please just not fight them? We're getting out of this. Don't...don't make harder."

Harley doesn't answer immediately. But when he does, Peter believes him. "Fine. I won't." He shoves Peter's hand away from him.

"Thank you," Peter says quietly and for the first time since they met, he feels a sense of calm between them. Not quite commadery but something close to it. 

* * *

  
  


The drive doesn't last very long before the car is stopped. Peter can barely see out the tinted windows, but they're somewhere in a wooded area. 

He doesn't see anything around them and his spidey sense isn't helpful. Not when it's been going off since they were grabbed off the street. 

Peter is pulled out first and he's tossed to one guy while Harley is pulled out next. There's a gun in his back between his shoulder blades as he's shoved along the way. He hears Harley behind making quips just tame enough to not have them make him bleed even more. 

Peter knows he doesn’t need to worry; Tony is going to come rescue them and it’s all going to be okay. But he can’t help but stay on alert. Something feels wrong. More than just his spidey sense wrong. 

They stop by a tree and the man shoves Peter to the ground, but when his hands hit the ground they land on something cold and hard and not dirt. He frowns as he brushes aside some leaves. It looks like a hatch door in the middle of the ground. 

The man that shoved him down laughs. “I know we said that we were giving you back...but did you really think we were just going to hand you right back over.” 

Peter whirls around to stare up at the man, his heart pounding in his chest. “What? But you said--.” 

“We can’t risk you telling Iron Man who we are and him coming after us. I really hope you understand that this is not personal. It’s strictly business.” 

“We haven’t even seen your faces!” Peter argues, his voice cracking in panic. Were they going to shoot them out here and hide their bodies?

“Thank God. Don’t think I wanna see their ugly mugs behind those masks,” Harley says from where he’s still standing. He sounds steady, but Peter can see the fear in his eyes. 

“Like I said, kid. Nothing personal. Now, open up that latch for me, brat.” 

“Cool it, old man,” Harley says, struggling only slightly. “I’m the only one allowed to call him a brat.” 

Peter’s hands are shaking and it’s not easy to do with handcuffs, but he pulls up on the handle and the door lifts up, revealing a small hole in the ground. It’s a metal box dug and buried in the ground to easily hide in plain sight. It’s small though. Too small to fit both of them. 

Peter’s heart beats a little faster just at the thought of being trapped in there. He turns back around, clasping his hands together. He doesn’t care how pathetic it is. He starts to beg. “Please, sir. We won’t tell anyone. We’ll tell them we don’t remember anything. Please. Just let us go.” 

“Nice try, kid. We’re not taking any chances.” 

Before Peter can even process what’s happening, the man shoots his foot out and kicks Peter in the chest. He lets out a grunt as the air leaves his lungs and he falls backwards into the box. He tries to scramble up and get out, but before he can, Harley is thrown in too. 

Peter is curled up in a ball and Harley is cramped in the corner. Their backs are flush against one another. He feels himself start to hyperventilate. 

“Listen, guys,” Harley says in a serious voice. “My bud here isn’t good with this stuff. He’s very sensitive to lights and sounds and if you trap him in a tiny box with no lights or anything, he’s not gonna do well.” 

Peter wants to relish in the moment that Harley called him bud or that he actually cares about his heightened senses, but he can’t. Not when the two men above them are laughing as they go to shut the latch on them. 

“Oh, before we go. Kid, you said that you’d be safe right because you didn’t see our faces?” 

Peter doesn’t answer. He’s too scared too. He shouldn’t be. He should jump out of here and knock these two out within seconds, but he’s tired and weak and his head still feels like mush and he hasn’t felt right since the drugs and Harley is here. Harley could get hurt. He can’t risk that. So he lays there. 

The man above loves his compliance as he kneels by the hole and starts to shut it. But just before the lid is closed and their small world of 5 feet by 5 feet goes black, the man rips off his mask and Peter sees his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited for next chapter. our boys need a little heart to heart and understand that they've both got shit going on and they don't need to be each others' worst enemies.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's hope emails are working again.

It’s dark. It’s dark and Peter hates it. He hates how he can’t see anything, he hates how cramped it is, he hates how he’s pressed against Harley, and he hates how quiet it is. He tries not to move around because once he starts, he knows he won’t be able to stop. 

After a few moments of not moving, his leg twitches and he grunts when he can’t get the room he needs. 

Harley keeps his voice low as he speaks, “Hey, it’s okay, Pete. Tony’s on his way. We’ve just got to wait.” 

Peter huffs as he settles his head against the metal ground again. “He’s not coming, Harley. They probably didn’t tell him where they took us.” 

“What?” Harley sounds genuinely confused. 

“He showed us his face. We saw his face. That means he doesn’t plan on letting us live.” 

Harley is quiet for a moment. “Oh.” 

“Yeah…” 

“So, we’re stuck in here until-- we’re not getting out?” 

Peter doesn’t reply to that. He doesn’t need to in order to answer Harley’s question. “I’m sorry I can’t get us out,” he says instead. “If this were wood, maybe I could break through. But metal compacted in the ground? I won’t be able to.” 

“You don’t have to apologize for not being able to get us out,” Harley says with a scoff. “There’s nothing you could have done.” 

Peter knows there’s so much more he could have done. He’s Spider-Man. This isn’t how he should be dying. “We should probably limit our talking. Save oxygen.” 

“Yeah,” Harley says quietly and then that’s that. They’re silent. 

They’re silent until the oxygen is noticeably thin. Peter feels like he has asthma all over again. His chest stutters with each breath, and it feels like there's two hands squeezing his lungs, refusing to let them expand.

They’re getting close to the end. If Tony doesn’t hurry then this may be it. What a way to go. Trapped in a box with a kid that hates him. He doesn't want to die like that. 

He wants there to be some sort of peace, at least. 

"Hey, Harley…" 

"Thought we weren't talkin'," Harley murmurs. "Preserving oxygen and all."

Peter sighs, immediately hating himself for expelling that air. "I'm sorry." 

"What're you apologizing for?" 

"I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you hate me so much." And okay, that sounds a little whiney and bitter, so he adds, "And I'm sorry for how I've been acting lately." 

Harley doesn't respond so Peter continues. He doesn't want them to...he doesn't want to end things with Harley thinking he's an asshole. 

"I've just been having a hard time at school and you haven't really been making it any easier. Neither has Mr. Stark." 

"Don't blame Tony," Harley says almost immediately. "He's just trying to figure this shit out. I'm the one that keeps pushing you to the edge." 

"I know it's hard to share him… I was getting jealous too," Peter admits, hoping that Harley won't get as upset over Peter insinuating he's jealous of Peter. "You didn't have to be so…" Peter trails off, debating on the right word to use. "Harsh." 

"Well, you were right. I have a pathetic life and I was taking it out on you." 

Peter remembers telling Harley he felt bad for him and sad his life must be. He remembers the tone he used and it was not nice at all. "I shouldn't have said that, Harley."

Harley doesn't respond right away. He's quiet for so long that Peter assumes he's done talking about feelings. But then, he breaks the silence with a low whisper. “I was talking to my sister. Before you came in. She got taken away from my mother. There’s no college I’m looking at. I came to get a job so I could take my sister and run. If my mom loses her before I can...I don't want her going in the system.” 

“What?” It's too much for Peter to take in. 

“My sister is back home with our mom. Our mom doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anything but the drugs or her boyfriend of the week. Sometimes her boyfriends like to smack us around.” Harley shifts slightly. 

Peter doesn’t believe he’s sharing this with him. “I didn’t know that.” 

“I didn’t want you to. Tony doesn’t know it either. He doesn’t know. I never wanted him to know.” 

“I’m sorry,” Peter says, and this time, he means it. Peter’s had a rough childhood, but he never had to worry about one of his guardians abusing him. He’s always been safe at home. 

“Don’t feel sorry for me. I don’t need you to feel sorry for me in our last moments alive.” 

“I don’t have any parents,” Peter says so that Harley isn’t the only one sharing something and feeling vulnerable. “They died when I was a baby. Then I lived with my aunt and uncle and then my uncle died in my arms. Shot in a robbery.” 

“Seriously?”

“Yup.” 

“I never thought…” 

“Not something I really like to broadcast.” 

“Yeah,” Harley says, sounding distracted. “I know what you mean.” 

“You know, if you told Mr. Stark, he’d understand. He’d be able to help you.” 

"I don't want him to know about what happened when he left me. I know he never mentioned me, but, he stayed with me for a few days back during the Mandarian thing. I helped him save the world. And he left me with a garage full of the coolest technology…" He sounds wistful as he tells Peter. "Then one day, I got back from school to see the garage ransacked. Whatever could be moved was gone and what couldn't was destroyed. My mom's boyfriend needed money."

"Harley...I'm so sorry." Sorry doesn't even cover it. 

"Please stop apologizing. Makes me feel like an even bigger asshole for how I treated you. I grew up being bullied by kids and then adults. I shouldn't have bullied you too. Especially now that I know that you don't have this perfect life I thought you did." 

"Guess we both owe each other an apology," Peter says, starting to enjoy the feeling of Harley's back against his. It's grounding. 

"You've done enough apologizing. It's my turn. I'm sorry for how I acted. I hope you can forgive me." He pauses and lets out a humorless chuckle. "We are dying so might as well make amends." 

Peter's eyes are watering. He doesn't want to die. He tells Harley as much. "I don't wanna die, Harley." 

Something shifts in Harley's tone. He speaks with a sense of hope he didn't have a moment ago. "Who knows. Maybe Iron Man is on his way. Maybe he's bring Spider-Man too." 

Peter’s lip quirks into a small grin despite his words. "I don't think Spider-Man is coming." 

"Why not? He's always teaming up with Tony. They kick ass together. If anything, we should both be jealous of  _ him."  _

Peter isn't sure why he says it. Maybe because of the lack of oxygen, or the fact that they may be dead soon anyway, or his new friendship with Harley. "Spider-Man isn't coming because he's here." 

It doesn't click for Harley right away. "What do you mean he's here? You getting delirious over there, dude? It's just here." 

"Yeah. Just us." 

A beat of silence. And then, "Holy shit." 

"Yeah…" 

"You're-- but-- how-- what?" 

"Bit by a radioactive spider on a school field trip. Mr. Stark found me webbing around in a homemade suit and made me a much safer one." 

"You're really Spider-Man?" 

"Yeah. I am." 

"But why didn't you just beat those assholes up? How do people at school get the upper hand? You could take any one of them one blindfolded." Harley is getting riled up. Well, as much as he can be with limited air supply in this small space. 

"I have to keep it a secret. If people knew Spider-Man was Peter Parker, then they'd go after my friends and family." Peter realizes that Harley is now another addition to that list. 

"But what about the shitlords that kidnapped up? Why didn't you kick their asses?" 

"Because you were there. I didn't want fhem hurting you. And then, I thought it was just a ransom. We'd be back safe and sound. It's better for them to think I'm no one. If they found out I was Spider-Man, they wouldn't let me go so easily." 

"Oh, yeah...you'd probably be sold out to any scum that wants revenge on Spidey. Or to a crazy scientist that wants to know how to recreate you."

"Well," Peter says, letting  _ that  _ sink in. "At least suffocation is a better way to go than torture." 

"We're not going to die in here. There's no way you can die now that I know you can take me web swinging. Maybe I can convince Tony to let me make my own suit. I could be Iron Lad and follow you guys out on missions." Harley's words are beginning to slur, but there's an excitement still in his voice. 

"Something tells me Mr. Stark won't be too happy having to worry about two of his kids out there now."

"His kids?" 

"Yeah," Peter says, his eyes fluttering shut. No reason to keep them open when it takes so much of his energy. "I'm his kid. You're his kid."

"That's kinda cool," Harley says and Peter can hear a small smile in his voice. "I've always wanted a dad." 

"I've always wanted a brother," Peter adds in a quiet voice. 

But Harley doesn't repsond. Peter isn't sure he can even hear him breathing anymore. 

"Harley?" 

Nothing. 

Peter tries to rouse him by knocking his arm against his. "Harley, get up." 

They weren't supposed to fall asleep, that much Peter knows. He can't remember why...but now, he doesn't think it's that important. Harley fell asleep, so why can't he? 

He's exhausted. He's hurting. Sleeping will solve it all. 

So he lets his eyelids shut finally and gives into the darkness. 

* * *

A villain's biggest downfall was always underestimating Tony Stark. This guy is so inexperienced that when he sent out a ransom picture with the demands, he doesn't ditch the burner phone he used. 

They find him while he still thinks he's getting his money. They bring him to the tower and it only takes a few minutes to get him to crack. 

If Harley and Peter weren't in danger, Tony would have stopped to laugh at how horrible of a bad guy he is. 

Instead, Happy stays with the creep, waiting for the police to come take him away. Rhodey and Tony suit up and fly out to the spot the man said he left Harley and Peter. 

It seems too easy until they land and there's nothing in sight. No safe house. No teenage boys tied to any trees. 

Tony curses as he looks around the forest wildly. "They're not here! That asshole lied!" 

Rhodey doesn't seem as convinced. "Tony, I don't think he was lying. He was telling the truth." 

Rhodey has handled interrogating prosoners before, Tony knows this. But this isn't just some government mission. This is his kids, who were taken because of him. 

Tony stomps around, searching for any sign of Harley and Peter. He stops when he hears his boot hit something that does not sound like dirt. He looks down and kicks some twigs and leaves out of the way, revealing a metal hatch. 

He wastes not a second more before getting off of it, leaning down, and yanking it up. Thankfully, it isn't locked so he has no trouble. 

There, both curled up to fit in the tiny box, are Harley and Peter. They're both unconscious with pale skin and blue lips. Rhodey is right behind him, already moving. 

"Happy, get Cho ready for medbay. We found the boys. They're both going to need oxygen treatments when we get them back," Rhodey says on his comm before kneeling next to Tony. He leans down and is careful as he lifts Peter up. He cradles him against his chest and looks to Tony. "Get Harley. They're not clear yet." 

That has Tony back in action. He lifts Harley up just as Rhodey lifted Peter. He stands up and then they're both flying off, back towards the tower. 

Tony looks down at Harley and then over to Rhodey. He wonders if Peter looks just as gray as Harley does. He wonders if either of them even know they're free. 

Were they waiting to be saved? Did they think they were going to die in there? 

Tony hopes that they knew he wasn't going to leave them there. He would always come save them. No matter what. 

Hopefully, this time, he isn't too late. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up soon :(


	6. Chapter 6

When Peter wakes up, he hears the very familiar sound of hospital machines beeping. He's been in medbay plenty of times before, but usually after a night of patrol and not as Peter Parker. 

He blinks his eyes a few times as he wakes himself up. Once they don't immediately close right after, he glances around the room to see where he is. 

It's not until he sees Harley in the bed next to his that he remembers what happened. Harley is still unconscious with a cannula in his nose. 

"Peter! Thank God!" 

Peter turns his head to where he heard Tony's voice. He's sitting between their beds and the foot of them. Now that Peter is awake, he leans towards his side. "M-Mr. Stark…" 

Tony's eyes are red, like he has been crying. Peter has never seen him cry before. "Yeah, bud, it's me." 

"What's wrong?" He tries to push himself up, but Tony gets to his feet and pushes him back down. 

"You almost died, is what's wrong. Jeez. You two scared the hell out of me." Tony grabs Peter's hand and just squeezes it tightly. 

"M'sorry. We tried…" 

"No. No apologies," Tony says immediately. "I should have never let it happen. We found you and I thought...I thought I was going to lose you." 

"Can't get rid of me that easily," Peter says weakly, still feeling exhausted. 

"I don't want to," Tony whispers. For a moment, they're both silent. Then Tony continues, "I wanted to apologize for how I've been acting lately. I haven't been the best. Happy let me know--." 

"You don't need to apologize because Harley and I couldn't get along." Peter glances over at Harley and smiles slightly. "And you don't have to worry about that anymore." 

"What? Why?" Tony almost sounds scared. Of what, Peter doesn't know. 

"Funny how being kidnapped and trapped in a very small space with someone can make you work through all the yucky stuff." 

Tony's eyes fill with something close to regret. "I'm sorry, kid." 

"It's alright. We needed to talk and I think that was the only way we were going to." 

Tony chuckles dryly. "I could have locked you both in a room." 

"Save that for next time." 

"There will be no next time," Tony says sternly. 

"Alright, fine," Peter agrees, letting his eyes fall shut again.

Tony brushes his fingers through Peter's hair and says with a soothing voice, "Get some sleep, bud. I'll be right here." 

This time when he falls asleep he feels much safer. 

* * *

Harley wakes up when Peter is still sleeping. Tony is above him and he must be in the middle of checking the machines and his vitals. 

That's when Harley realizes he almost died. He and Peter had been ready to die. He would have died with his sister still in CPS' custody. She would have been lost in the system. 

So he bites the bullet and the first thing he says to Tony is, "You need to get my sister." 

Tony jumps and stares down at Harley with wide eyes. He places a hand over his heart. "Harley, what the hell?" 

"You have to save her. She got taken away. I don't know what to do." Harley feels himself getting worked up. Who knows how long she's been stuck.

"Hold on, let me just--." 

Harley shakes his head. He doesn't matter. He's fine. 

"Okay, okay...what's wrong with your sister?" Tony pulls up a seat and sits down next to him. 

"My mom isn't the best mom, Tony. Her boyfriends...they hurt us." He can't look Tony in the eyes. 

It all seems to click in Tony's head then. "Okay, okay...I'll get her safe. Don't you worry about thay. She'll be okay. You both will." 

Harley rolls his head to glance at Peter in the other bed. "Peter?" 

"Peter's okay too. Was just up about a half hour ago. I was getting worried about you." 

Satisfied that Peter's alright and Tony is going to save his sister, he finally lets himself relax. 

Tony rubs his arm gently. "It's okay. It's all going to be okay." 

* * *

And it is, Tony makes sure of that. 

He gets Harley's sister out of the Tennessee group home. He sends their mother to the best rehabilitation center in New York he can find for her and foots the entire bill. 

Tony finds out about the science fair and the bullying…so does Harley and he makes sure that Flash kid never gives him a hard time again. 

In fact, when Peter gets first place for sensory overload glasses he makes with Harley and Tony, Flash congratulates him. 

Harley moves into the tower with his sister and he starts actually applying for colleges instead of looking for jobs. 

The best part is that Harley and Peter are best friends. They're brothers and that's all Tony ever wanted from the beginning. 

The only bad part? 

They get into trouble and Tony's always cleaning up the mess. Tony's response to their shenanigans is always the same, even when Peter takes him out to swing across the city. 

"You're lucky I love you two." 

And really that's a lie. Tony's the lucky one. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter was quick and rushed. If I'm honest, this fic has been in my Drive for 3 years almost and before I started to hate the fic, I wanted to wrap it up.   
> So if you're going to comment about it being a failure and crap ending, save your typing i already know.


End file.
